Siquijor Travel Guide 2026: Everything You Need Before You Go

Why Siquijor is different

Siquijor is a 340-square-kilometre island in the Central Visayas that most travellers skip on their way to Bohol or Siargao. That is exactly why it still feels unhurried. You get waterfalls with no queue, a 400-year-old balete tree, sandbars that appear at low tide, and roads where you pass more carabao than cars.

How to get to Siquijor

Every route runs through a ferry. The two easiest options:

• From Dumaguete (Negros Oriental) — roughly 1 to 1.5 hours by fast craft. Most frequent crossings, and Dumaguete has the nearest airport.
• From Tagbilaran or Bohol — longer and less frequent, but useful if you are island-hopping the Visayas.

Fly into Dumaguete (from Manila or Cebu), take a tricycle to the port, and sail across. Book the morning crossings if you want a full first day on the island.

Best time to visit

• February to May — driest, sunniest, best for waterfalls with clear water and calm crossings.
• June to October — greener, cheaper, occasional afternoon rain. Waterfalls run strong.
• November to January — cooler and breezier; ferry schedules can shift in rough weather.

What a day on Siquijor costs

Prices move, but a realistic mid-range day looks like this: a simple guesthouse or beach cottage for one night, a rented scooter for the day, fuel, two local meals, and a couple of entrance fees. Eating at carinderias and renting by the week are the two biggest savings.

Getting around

Renting a motorbike or scooter is the standard way to see the island — the circumferential road is about 72 km and can be ridden in a relaxed day. If you do not ride, hire a tricycle or habal-habal driver for a half-day loop; most drivers know the waterfall and beach circuit by heart.

A simple 3-day plan

1. Day 1 — Arrive, settle in on the west coast, sunset swim, dinner nearby.
2. Day 2 — Waterfall day: Cambugahay Falls early, the Old Enchanted Balete Tree, lunch in Lazi, Salagdoong in the afternoon.
3. Day 3 — Tubod Marine Sanctuary or Kagusuan Beach, then Paliton Beach for sunset before your ferry.

First-timer mistakes to avoid

• Arriving without booked transport. Scooters sell out in high season.
• Only carrying cards. ATMs exist but are limited — bring cash from Dumaguete.
• Cramming the island into one day. Siquijor rewards slowness.
• Skipping the local hosts. Family-run stays and local guides are where the island opens up.

Book with locals

Every stay, ride, and guide listed on OneSiquijor belongs to a Siquijor-based family or small business, so your booking money stays on the island.